New-York tribune., 1887-05-15
TWO FRENCH NOVELS.
DECENT AND INDECENT.

LA BETE Par VICTOR CHERBUIIEZ Paris; Hachette
ct Gle. NewYork: w. r. jenkins.
MONT-ORIOI. Par GUY DE MAUPAssANr Paris: VIC
tor-Havard New York W. r. jenkins.
NJ Cherbuliezs last novel will not add much 10
his reputation, and yet it is work OF marKeu
ability and in direction. The underlying
idea is philosophical and the ncompeteness OF the
assimilation IS what tends TO detract from the
popular attractveness of the book. LA Bette" is the
animal which persists in humanity, and which
crops out in the social life Of modern civilization al
intervals, causing all manner of trouble aud lncon-
venience. The attempt to base novel upon
phase of evolutionary philosophy is ingenious out
NJ. Clerbuez has scarcely mastered his apparatus
and ths:fesuit is a certain clumsness and crualty
here and there The story as OF young Huguehot
farmer of simple, upright aud straightforward
nature, who by ill-fOrtune marries BAD 0ut
brilliant woman. She is unfathful, he Is enabled
to procure a divorce, and thenceforward vows 10
live alone and TO avoid women as too dangerous
and untrustworthy to have any dealings with. vi
course the end OF this resolve Is that he falis IN
love again. but this time with Charm
ing young gIrl who cures him OF the
wounds inflicted by her faithless predecessor.
There plenty OF very ciear-cut character IN the
story and the style Is not less agreeable than Is
Cherbullezs won't. But the conception does noI
seem 10 have been fully thought out by the auth0r
and there arc indications OF vacillaton ana lhue-
cislon as to the point to be insisted upon III lhlS
perhaps be doubted whether the psychologlc mover
Is altogether suited to the genius of NJ. CherDuez
which appears at its best and brightest III such
admirable stories as q" La Reyancbe de Joseph
Noirel." "LIdee dc Jean Teterol" and such exam
pies " La B6te' betokens q wider ambition, puI IL
is less interesting work.
There are few contemporary writers of fiction
who surpass NJ de Maupassant in beauty force ana
sympathetic power of description. His art is most
satisfying his technique subtle and adros his sty ye
elegant and elastic He has, III fact, all the
requisites for good novel writing save one. ana III
France today his chef deficiency is no hindrance
to his popularity. The dctum of Pope, that " want
of decency Is want of sense" finds no acceptance
in the Paris school of fiction. Indeed, decency Is
there regarded rather hypOcrltlcal aftectatlon
than a requirement OF culture, 10 say nothing OF
good morals " Mont OriOl' Is a striking lllustra-
tion of this. The book is charmngly brilliantly
written. It is fall of description so eXceIent
so indicative of trained observation, OF suOtle
perception, of delicate dTaughtsinanshlp, as
might make the reputation OF an Ordinary writer
But with all thl is combined want oil pudlclty so
strangely unaffected and candid as TO suggest the
UNCONSCIOUS grOSSDeSS OF some Woodland 1aun,
navely displaying his nature In hls own aunts.
Theophe GautIer had much oil this IN MN, anu eN-
hiDii cd 1t not alone IN the text or his "Madem-
oiselle dc Maupin," but even more IN
the astonishing piece justihcatI" which he
prefxed to the later editions Nj. de MaupasSant
has III "Mont-OrOl" written novel which
would be delightful but for the fact that the main
action turns on incidents which are simply in
capable OF being discussed But the oddest tmng
is That thus singular FrenchInan evidently THINKS
he has somehow made "a astrOng moral point ana the
way in which he ends his story is nothing less than
comica when regarded IN the proper light, though
the author clearly intended IL 10 be little snort OF
tragic One interesting aud not insignificant epl-
sode III the story Is the Introduction OF the typical
modern rich Partisan Jew iatern1rrylug with the
typical, semi-decayed faubOurg CT uermaln
nobleman, without scandal or unfavorable COM
ment Ii is possible that NJ. Drumonts La France
Julve" counted for something IN the introduction
of this incident.